doppelgänger --> there's never just one {sequel}

bex

At the studio that morning, a few weeks later once Dennis was healed up and allowed, not only to talk normally, but start recording vocals for Avenging Angels's next album, Bex sat outside the room that Dennis stood in, with Wolf on her lap, who was anxiously awaiting for his father to come back out again.

So many thoughts ran through her head as she sat there on that bench, listening to Dennis's pure singing voice and deep, strong screams go on as he moved on to the bridge of the song's lyrics. Everything was still a little awkward between them since she came back, after her cheating on him and their fight. Dennis was still numb about it all, still keeping his distance with her and not doing anything special. They rarely went on dates or anything in the first place, but she could tell he wasn't even up for maybe just going out to lunch, even, at the moment in time. He didn't kiss her, still. He would put Wolf to bed in the evening and go to his room early every night, shutting everyone out. He slept in his bed and she slept in one of the guest room's beds, and she couldn't help but feel a little abandoned that way. But she also had to keep reminding herself that it was her fault and she was the one who had pushed the one she loved away.

Bex missed the times she woke in the middle of the night and found herself against him, his arm around her, and how cute he looked when he slept peacefully beside her. She even missed his annoying snoring and how some nights he wouldn't sit still.

And the fact was that now, she could tell he wasn't okay. She knew him well enough to tell that something wasn't right, besides the current conflict between the two of them.

Another thing she wished was that Wolf would never know of the horrendous mistake she made, and the aching hurt she once caused his father.

And if he ever were to find out, she prayed that he would realize she had never meant to hurt Dennis like that, and she still loved him just as much as she did before.

She had to assure herself that everything would be fine.

Pretty soon after, Dennis came out of the vocal tracking booth to the hallway where Bex was sitting, and gave her a small smile before he lifted Wolf out of her lap, kissing him to him in his high-pitched voice, the one he used often when communicating with his little brother or son.

"Hey, Wolfie, I missed you while I was gone," he told him, kissing Wolf's head and bouncing him up and down in his arms. "Yeah, you're my cute little guy."

Wolf smiled, his few front baby teeth that were coming in showing when he opened his mouth.

Which reminded Bex about the tooth she was trying to watch that was growing in that was seemingly giving him pain. When she talked to Scout about it, she said that same thing happened to all of her kids when they were babies, and that it was normal. Bex was still unsure, feeling like something still wasn't right with it -- that's when Andy told her she was just being a paranoid, first-time mother.

And she knew it was true, that she was being just like all the other mothers in the world with their first children, worrying about everything because she cared.

She always would, just as much as she did now as she would in the future.

Bex stood up, leaning closer to Dennis so she could see Wolf's face, opening his mouth and taking a good look at his little teeth and gums, but not two seconds after she began, it became difficult. Wolf got upset very quickly and began to cry and squirm to resist, as every baby would. But Bex kept trying, because she was worried, and Wolf started to get angry, which was when she finally decided to give up. Just as she started to pull away, Dennis irritatedly pulled Wolf away faster, setting him down on the ground below him and letting him go run off down the hall to find the other band members.

"Bex, didn't you see he was crying? If he didn't like it, you should've let go sooner."

"Dennis, I was. You just didn't see me --"

"And his teeth are fine, okay? He's a baby and they're just coming in, so it's gonna be a little uncomfortable for him. It's normal. Big deal."

"Dennis, what if there is something wrong, and we pretended it wasn't and ignored it and then it just turns into an even huger problem?" She rambled on nervously.

Dennis paused, looking at her with his eyes narrowed. "Did you just say huger?"

Bex looked down, smirking. "Whatever, you know what I meant."

"Okay, whatever you say," he said, smiling back at her a little. "But everything's going to be fine. You know it is. You're just being a paranoid mom."

*

That night, after she had already put Wolf to bed, Bex laid on the bed in the guest room she was staying in, nearly asleep, her eyes heavy but still a little puffy and swollen from crying previously. Only when there was a knock at her door did her head shoot up as if she had been awake the entire time. "Come in!" she yelled, and when she saw it was Dennis who opened the door, she rested her head back down again. "What do you need?"

"Hey," he said gently, taking a seat on the bed beside her and running his fingers through her hair. "I just wanted to check on you," he told her innocently, "you know, see what's up."

She picked her head up, turning her eyes up towards him. "Why are you being so affectionate all of the sudden?"

Quickly he pulled back, holding his hands up in defense. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize I was offending you or violating your privacy."

Bex sighed, resting her chin on her crossed arms again. "No, it's not your fault, I'm sorry. I was just surprised, since recently you've been so distant with me -- which I really don't blame you for," she said with a regretful, guilty smirk.

Dennis was quiet for a moment, most likely thinking about her true remark as he shifted on the bed to lie beside her, gazing at her in silence.

"What?" she asked, finally turning her gaze towards him after seeing him out of the corner of her eyes. She stared back at his clear blue, mysterious ones.

"What?" he mumbled back to her with a small smirk across his face.

"What are you looking at me for?"

"Because, I love you. And you're beautiful," he told her slowly with a sweet, small smile.

And by that, Bex was humbled.

Then she realized there was nothing else that needed explanation.... that there was nothing else which needed to be said.

He loved her, and she loved him, and no one else, and that was it.

She wanted him and nobody else for the rest of her life.